2/5/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Monday
5 February 2024 News
FREEZING FOG ADVISORY
A Freezing Fog Advisory has been issued for Dodge, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, and Washington counties until noon today. Visibility could be one quarter of a mile or less in freezing fog. Slick spots are possible on sidewalks, driveways, and roads. Driving conditions could be hazardous.
FDL COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE EXPANDS ACCESSIBLITY
Fond du Lac County’s Veterans Service Office will be expanding their availability and accessibility to areas of the county outside of the city of Fond du Lac monthly. Starting today Senior Benefit Specialist Rachael Peschke will be working at the Ripon Public Library on the first Monday of every month from 9 am to 4 pm. Starting on Thursday, February 8th Benefit Specialist Nicole Russell will be working at the Waupun Public Library on the second Thursday of every month from 9 am to 4 pm. Starting February 28th County Veteran Service Officer Dave Tellefsen will be working at the Municipal building in Campbellsport the last Wednesday of every month from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The dates and times are subject to change. A notice will be released if the date, time, or location has to be adjusted.
UWO OSHKOSH FDL CAMPUS USE
Fond du Lac County Executive Sam Kaufman says they hope to make an announcement in the coming months about keeping the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh on the Fond du Lac campus in some fashion after classes end there in June. He says they’ve just started discussions about their exit from the campus, but they have been talking with Universities of Wisconsin officials about ways to keep their presence on campus in some form. Kaufman says the Universities of Wisconsin have a lease with Fond du Lac County through 2042. He says the County will be able to use the campus for other purposes after they know how much space the UW-Oshkosh will continue to use. The UW Extension will remain on campus. Other discussions have included using part of the campus to allow a community daycare provider to open services there and entering an agreement to allow Envision Greater Fond du Lac to use space for creation of an entrepreneurship center for small businesses.
MORAINE PARK UWO ARTICULATION AGREEMENT
Moraine Park Technical College, in partnership with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, has created a unique articulation agreement to support students impacted by the UW Oshkosh Fond du Lac campus closure. Under the agreement those students pursuing an associate degree can continue their in-person classes and program at Moraine Park with a guaranteed transfer of all their UW associate degree credits. Through the program, students will transfer their UWO credits to Moraine Park Technical College to complete their associate of applied science degree. The two institutions also have a robust post-graduation transfer program, which will allow local students to return to UWO to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a guaranteed junior status. In total, Moraine Park has over 20 articulation agreements with local Universities, and the recent partnership created for UWO Fond du Lac students offers a unique opportunity for students to remain local without interrupting their degree program.
ABORTION QUESTION
State Republicans want to put a binding question on the April ballot moving the ban on abortions from 20 weeks down to 14 weeks or after the first trimester. State Representative Alex Dallman of Green Lake was among those approving a bill creating the referendum question. He says he’s talked to a lot of constituents over the past few years and he believes the issue is something voters should have a say on. He says Democrats often talk about the will of the people and this would be one way to measure it. Democrats criticize the bill as government overreach, insisting that women should be allowed to make their own choices about reproductive care. They predict Governor Evers will veto the bill if the State Senate also approves it. The 14 week deadline would not apply in cases of rape and incest. Before it was struck down Wisconsin’s original 1849 law was a complete ban on abortion. After the law was struck down the ban moved back to 20 weeks.
BERLIN NATIVITY DISPLAY ISSUE SETTLED
Berlin City Alderperson Luke Dretske says the city was able to resolve an issue over a Nativity display at a city park. The Council approved putting up the display at a park this past Christmas season, but then had to resolve the issue of ownership. No one was sure about who owned it but the Berlin Ministerial Association originally raised the money for the Nativity display. Dretske says the ownership issue was worked out between the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission, Berlin Ministerial Association, and the Achieving a Better Community or ABC Group. It was decided the Ministerial Association owned the display. Dretske says in the future the Ministerial Association will have to work with the Parks and Recreation Commission and the ABC Group depending on whether they want to put up the display in Fireman’s Park or Nathan Strong Park.
CONGRESSMAN GROTHMAN INTRODUCES FISCAL IMPACT LEGISLATION
Congressman Glen Grothman has introduced a bipartisan bill designed to benefit taxpayers by enhancing the efficiency of the Congressional Budget Office process behind projecting the fiscal impact of proposed legislation. The bill would streamline the CBO to provide taxpayers with more timely information on the cost of legislative proposals. Specifically the legislation exempts the CBO from the Privacy Act, eliminating procedural delays that hinder the CBO’s ability to access vital data for baseline budget projections, economic assessments, cost estimates, and reports. The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says the legislation is a crucial step in expediting the delivery of information on the fiscal impact of legislation, given the nation’s substantial debt.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BEING USED BY SCAMMERS
The state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection will be keeping an eye on the growing use of Artificial Intelligence. Michelle Reinen is the Administrator for the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection. She says much has been done to reduce the incidents of robocalls and unwanted telephone solicitations. However, scammers are now using Artificial Intelligence or AI as their latest tool. She says by using someone’s voice posted on line they can take that recording and use AI to create what sounds like a human voice. AI has already been used for the so-called “grandparents” scam where a grandparent is called to bail out a grandchild in trouble. She says they’ve also seen it used for romance scams. She urges residents to call and report it if someone tries to scam them. Their phone number is 1-800-422-7128.
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